Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Pie {Recipe} – Clean Comfort Food

OH man, childhood. The stuff dreams are made of, right? No responsibility other than making sure your underwear are clean and teeth are brushed. No bills to pay, floors to clean, clothes to fold, cars to drive, people to impress, meals to make. I remember my own thoughts were consumed with jumping on my friend’s trampoline, playing outside, making friends, dancing, and just being. And dinner, I did often think about dinner, but not from the “OMG what am I going to make for dinner tonight?” once you realize it’s 5:30pm perspective. More of the “I really hope we’re having spaghetti pie or beef stroganoff for dinner tonight” kind of way.

Do you ever remember smelling something absolutely mouthwatering then sitting down for dinner to find out that it was kind of bland? Hey mom, if you’re reading this? I love you. And not all of your food was bland, but I did want a little more salt on those pot roasts. It happens! My kids aren’t always happy with their food either, and my husband? Oh dear lord, he’s the most difficult to please out of the whole bunch. Not too salty, no dill, no squash, no mushrooms, no cumin, no chicken, the list is exhausting and pretty much eliminates many things that make for a good, tasty, inexpensive meal.

I’ve learned that I can push the menu with him a little bit by remaking some childhood favorites in new ways that satisfy our gluten- and mostly grain-free lifestyle. He will eat spaghetti squash if it is cooked with the right amount of butter, garlic, and goat cheese. He will also eat spaghetti squash if it is made into my old childhood favorite, spaghetti pie.

Winner winner spaghetti pie dinner.

This spaghetti squash spaghetti pie was so good, Kyle ate it for lunch the next day. Backstory: He’s one of those people who turns his nose up at leftovers, especially leftovers that he has to eat more than once. So your family members don’t like spaghetti squash? Make this for them and change their mind.

It’s a dinner magic trick. What favorite comfort food would you like to see me “clean up”?

This Spaghetti Pie is made with a spaghetti squash crust, making it a low-carb, grain free version of this comfort food favorite. Even squash haters will love this spaghetti pie, which can be prepped ahead of time for quick baking.

Ingredients

1lb Lean Ground Beef (We prefer grass-fed)

1/4 cup Yellow Onion (Chopped)

2 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)

1 can Diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce size)

1 can Tomato Paste (6 ounce size)

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 cup Cottage Cheese (Full-Fat)

6oz Real Mozzarella Cheese (Sliced)

Crust

1 Spaghetti Squash

2 tablespoons Butter

1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese (Shredded)

2 Eggs (Beaten)

Note

This low carb spaghetti pie can be prepped the night before you plan on cooking it so that it makes a quick comfort food meal in a pinch. It is also freezable.

Directions

Crust

Step 1

Cook Spaghetti squash using your preferred method. If you are short on time, poke deep holes into the squash and place in microwave for 13 minutes. If you have time, cut in half, scoop out seeds, then place flesh side down onto cookie sheet and roast at 375* for one hour.

Step 2

Preheat Oven to 350*. When spaghetti squash is cooked and still hot, mix in parmesan cheese, eggs, and butter until well combined. Place mixture into buttered 10" pie plate or casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Step 3

While crust is heating up in oven, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic. Drain off the fat then stir in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer while you prepare the rest of the pie.

Step 4

When crust has warmed up in the oven for 10 minutes, spread cottage cheese over the crust. Draw in a little heart because it's made with love. Top with beef and tomato mixture.

Step 5

Bake for 20 minutes, then remove and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes to melt mozzarella. NOTE: Real mozzarella is a water-heavy cheese. You might have to sop some water off of the top with a paper towel once the pie is done cooking, but using real mozzarella is really the key to making this pie taste gourmet and amazing.

Mine is in the oven for the final cooking! I can’t wait, it looks so good and smells even better! Thank you Summer for this wonderful “remake” of the unhealthy way we used to eat Spaghetti! Love you and all that you do to make so many lives better!